


Speaking Without Words

by TheManOfManyFandoms



Series: Family Is More Than Blood [9]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Absolutely nobody wanted me to write this, Angst and Fluff, Fluff, Gen, Hurt Zuko (Avatar), I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, Ozai (Avatar) Being a Terrible Parent, Sweet Zuko (Avatar), This is probably going to be a mess, Toph Beifong and Zuko are Siblings, Zuko is an Awkward Turtleduck, but it crept into my mind at 4 AM and it won’t get out until i put it into words, cuddle piles, that's not a tag but it should be
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-07
Updated: 2020-09-07
Packaged: 2021-03-06 20:55:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 924
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26315281
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheManOfManyFandoms/pseuds/TheManOfManyFandoms
Summary: Zuko has a bad day and spends it with his family.
Relationships: Iroh & Zuko (Avatar), The Gaang & Zuko (Avatar), Toph Beifong & Zuko
Series: Family Is More Than Blood [9]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1789564
Comments: 85
Kudos: 677





	Speaking Without Words

**Author's Note:**

> There’s a bit of angst, because I’m physically incapable of writing anything without it, but it’s mostly just fluff!

Something that Toph has learned about Zuko in the year and a half that she's known him, is that he's actually very quiet. You wouldn't notice, with the way he storms and shouts, but, when there's nothing to storm and shout _at_ , he goes so quiet that Toph can hardly tell he's there.

This quietness is a near constant, but, when Zuko is very stressed, or frightened, it gets worse. They had long since come up with a sort of system, in order to communicate. After all, it’s kind of difficult for Toph to interact with someone who doesn’t speak.

On this day, Toph can tell it’s going to be a bad day, from the moment Zuko seeks her out, in the morning. He’s more comfortable asking for help than he used to be, but he still very rarely actually offers up potentially vulnerable information right away. He sits next to her at the dining table and she can feel him trembling, as he tentatively puts a hand on her wrist, in a silent question. 

She takes his hand easily and speaks, softer than is natural for her, “Hey, Sunshine. Are you doin’ okay?” Zuko taps the back of her hand twice. _No._

”Alright, do you want me to tell any of the others right now?” Another two taps.

“Hm,” Toph considers for a moment. She can read Zuko very well, but sometimes it’s still difficult to know what he needs, in moments like this. “Do you want to go to the turtleduck pond?” An enthusiastic tap is the response she gets. _Yes!_   
  
“Alright, then. Come on, Sunshine.” They stand up and Zuko lets her lead him to the courtyard, still too small and too silent. When he sits by the pond, Toph can feel him curling in on himself and her heart clenches a little. 

She sits next to him and reaches out, into the water, to try and coax a turtleduck closer. She feels one brush the tip of her fingers and curses under her breath, when it just keeps swimming. Zuko huffs a very small laugh, but Toph will take pretty much anything positive right now. “These damn turtleducks hate me,” Toph complains, though she’s smiling.

There’s a moment of comfortable silence, until something fluffy and wet is set gently into her hand. Toph yelps at the unexpected feeling, eliciting another tiny laugh from the Fire Lord. Slowly, she calms enough to pet the head of the little turtleduckling, who chirps at her. “I _guess_ it’s pretty cute,” she rolls her eyes. 

They stay there for a while longer, both petting the turtleducks in silence, until Zuko suddenly sits up. “What’s up?” Toph questions.

Zuko answers aloud this time, though his voice is very raspy and quiet, “Can we- can we get the others? I just- I need to be with you all.”

"Sure," Toph grins, "Do you want to come with me, while I collect the others.

"Mhm," Zuko mumbles and then lapses into silence again.

\-----------

They manage to round up the others and, without having to be asked, they begin to make their way towards Iroh's teashop. It had become a sort of mutual breakdown place and they all knew to go there for tea and good hugs.

Iroh, of course, is more than happy to usher them into his living room and to give them all some tea. Zuko always seems infinitely grateful for this, but today, Toph's pretty sure he's single-mindedly concentrating on trying to hug everything that moves.

He's holding Toph's hand again, because who is _she_ to deny such a shy and, frankly, adorable request. Somehow, he's also managed to press as close as he can to both Sokka _and_ Katara, without actually touching.

When they all finish their tea, Aang announces (with a characteristic enthusiasm that, somehow, even at fourteen years old, hadn't been dampened in the slightest), "We should have a cuddle pile!"

Toph snorts with laughter, rolling her eyes good-naturedly, "Sure, Twinkletoes, sounds good."

Perhaps Sokka realizes how much Zuko needs this right now, because, for once, he doesn't protest at all. Suki and Katara agree readily, as well and Zuko responds with a soft, "That would be nice."

Iroh stands, squeezing Zuko's shoulder, sadness practically rolling off of him at the slight flinch the action causes. "I can find some blankets for you all," he offers and they all accept gratefully, as he leaves the room.

Toph actually laughs out loud, when Aang launches himself at Zuko, nearly sending them through the couch. "Hi!" Aang says cheerfully and Zuko laughs softly.

"Don't suffocate him, Aang," Katara sighs, though her voice is full of fondness for her boyfriend. Aang makes a vaguely pouty sound, but rolls to the side, until he is simply curled up next to Zuko.

Toph claims Zuko's other side, with a grin. Zuko's heartbeat, which has been unusually fast for most of the day is beginning to slow. 

Sokka lays mostly stretched out, though his head is on Zuko's shoulder and an arm is slung over Suki, who's leaning against Katara.  
Katara has Zuko's head in her lap and is stroking his hair gently. 

Zuko's heartbeat is steady and strong, though it's slowing in the way that means he'll be asleep very soon. Voice slurred with tiredness, he murmurs, "I love you guys a lot." 

Zuko falls asleep to the sounds of his friends whispering soft, "I love you too"s and, as he drifts into unconsciousness, he can't help, but to feel safe here, with his family.

**Author's Note:**

> Me: *writing this instead of either of my ongoing chaptered fics* *looks away like the puppet in that meme*
> 
> This was a very self-indulgent fic, but I really needed to write something like this. Lemme know in the comments if you enjoyed! :)


End file.
